YAMAHA WR 250 R

250cc Petrol Class 2

#2362 of 5426 overall #123 of 409 YAMAHAs #1477 of 2787 other bikes

85.5%

first-time pass rate

7.0%

failed outright

6,661

median miles at test

1,271

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The WR 250 R's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.1 points since 2011, 78.0% to 75.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the WR 250 R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage WR 250 R passes first time 85.5% of the time; by 30k that's 81.1%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a WR 250 R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	47	22.3	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	36	17.1	1.2×
steering and suspension	30	14.2	0.6×
brakes	28	13.3	0.4×
reg plates and vin	20	9.5	1.2×
suspension	15	7.1	1.5×
tyres and wheels	13	6.2	0.4×
drive system	9	4.3	0.3×
structure and attachments	8	3.8	0.8×
Identification of the vehicle	5	2.4	1.7×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the WR 250 R beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YP250, YAMAHA WR250F, HONDA XR250).

YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k tests HONDA XR250 78.8% pass · 9,277 tests HONDA CBF250 84.9% pass · 7,536 tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the WR 250 R.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2008 (86.1% pass). Weakest: 2010 (83.6%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

YAMAHA WR 250 R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA WR 250 R reliable?

The YAMAHA WR 250 R is about average for its class: 85.5% of its 1,271 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2362 of 5426 models.

What does a WR 250 R fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 22% of all defects recorded against failed WR 250 R tests.

What is the best year of WR 250 R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (86.1%) and 2010 worst (83.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a WR 250 R last?

The median WR 250 R shows 6,661 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 81.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.